Building Information

Your Checklist For Selecting The Right Builder

If you’ve never built or renovated a home before the process of choosing your builder can be a little daunting. Who do you trust? What questions do you ask? How do you assess their credentials? How do builders charge for their work? The questions seem endless and the answers aren’t always obvious.

Here are some of the fundamental things to remember to help you make your choice:

Tendering the project

Most clients get a number of quotes by tendering the job to different builders. It’s important to make sure all quotes are comparable, so you can make an informed decision. Brief each builder to respond by quoting the same quality material, fixtures and finishes. There can be a huge difference between builders’ perception of quality, so getting a good specification for your tender is essential.

The weather on the northern beaches is different to only a few kilometres inland. Moisture and salt in the air from the ocean affect timber and other finishes, so you need to work with builders familiar with these environmental peculiarities. 

This is why it’s often worth getting an architect to design your plans and help prepare the brief for builders. It will add to your cost up front but saves you lots of money by the end of the job.

Licensing

A builder and the subcontractors working with the building company must be licensed for the work they carry out. Lawson & Lovell Building Services has an unrestricted license to carry out all building and renovating works. The license number is: 233629C.

Lawson & Lovell Building Services hold copies of current licenses and policies such as Trade License, Public Liability, Workers Compensation and OH&S White Card from all contractors engaging in work. You can check if your builder’s licence is valid, current, unrestricted, or complaint free by going to Fair Trading Building Licence Check.

Insurances

A builder must have proof of current insurances covering:

  • Home Warranty Insurance (for works over $12,000)
  • Public Liability Insurance
  • Contract works Insurance (builders All Risk Insurance)
  • Workers Compensation Insurance

Lawson & Lovell Building Services holds current policies for all of these insurances. You can view all our current policies as all builders on request. Lawson & Lovell Building Services’ subcontractors are also covered under their own insurance policies, copies of which are obtained at the start of every project by Lawson & Lovell Building Services.

If you want to know more about the different types of insurance go to:

Building Contracts

All works over $1,000 must be covered by a contract. This contract can be a ‘cost-plus’ contract or a ‘fixed-price’ contract. For more info on contracts go to Fair Trading Building Contract Information.

 Occupational Health and Safety

Lawson & Lovell Building Services takes safety very seriously and has strict safety policies for all people working or visiting any building site. A site safety induction is carried out on every job for all tradespeople and visitors to the site. This ensures everyone understands how to work and get around the site safely. John and Phil discuss site safety on a daily basis as each project progresses and the site landscape changes.

If you’d like more information about Lawson & Lovell and the award-winning homes they have built, please call or email John or Phil on 0422 459 159 or contact us at [email protected]

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